Fugitive gunman Raoul Moat has died after shooting himself following a six-hour stand-off with armed officers in Rothbury, Northumberland. As events were unfolding, eyewitnesses told what they could see.

Peter Abiston - could see Moat from his window

"From what I can see he shot himself. He laid down and shot himself.

"I think there was two, but there was certainly one shot. They've lifted up the light now. The paramedics look as they're leaning over the man and there's a cordon of police around and that's about as much as I can see."

Steven Neailey - could see Moat from his window

"I can see Raoul Moat from my upstairs window, he's about 150 yards away. The area is very well lit and he is just sitting there with the gun under his chin. He's been in the same position since around 1930 BST.

Image caption
Police could be seen pointing guns and Tasers at Moat. Pic: Steven Neailey

"The police have given him some food and drink. He was talking to them but I couldn't make out what was said.

"Police have advised us to stay in the house. They seem to have everything under control and I'm not personally worried, though it does feel slightly weird to have this going on so close by.

"I don't feel I can go to bed yet, so we're just waiting up at the moment."

Susan Ballantyne - could see Moat from her window

"He has been lying down next to stepping stones going across the river which are part of one of the famous Rothbury riverside walks.

Image caption
Armed officers surrounded Raoul Moat

"They have trained two spotlights on him. Now he is sitting up. I think he has got a hoodie on.

"I think he is talking to the police but he is too far away for me to hear what he is saying.

"Watching this going on, it's not frightening, but Rothbury is such a lovely place we don't want it to be known for something macabre.

"I hope it ends well and there is no more bloodshed."

Mrs Ballantyne said police officers had entered her house: "Just came through to tell everybody to get back from the windows, stay safe.

"They wanted access through the back, so a lot of marksmen came through the house from the back entrance."

Billy - saw beginning of operation

"My partner and I about two hours ago were walking alongside the river and we saw Mr Moat standing on his own, we turned away when my partner realised it might be Mr Moat and about five seconds after that two police vehicles came on to the scene.

"Armed officers exited the vehicles, told Mr Moat to lower the weapon which he refused to do, but he did kneel down and point the weapon at his head. The officers then quite sensibly stood back pointing their weapons at Mr Moat, until they received back-up from other officers.

"Since them Mr Moat has remained kneeling, pointing the weapon at his head, whilst a group of about 10 police officers have been negotiating with him."

Lee - mother-in-law Kathleen was inside cordon

"There is a wooded area.. snipers were at the top of that then obviously police came down in force very quietly, there wasn't sirens going or anything.

"So they quietly did it, the police just went down there, and then the person who had the gun to his head started moving away around the wall, and Kathleen could not see exactly where he went, and then the police told her to get back in the house."

Chris Robertson - had snipers behind his house

"There was a couple came up from the riverside and two police cars went down, so I walked over and there was a guy with a sawn-off shotgun pointing to his neck, it looked like a sawn-off shotgun.

"After that we were told to get inside, all the marksmen came down and I'm holed up at my mum's cottage now. There are snipers and stuff in the woods behind my mother's house."

Judith Ellis - saw beginning of operation

"Ten minutes before this kicked off, around the bend, I looked to the left, I saw police snipers pointing towards that direction. We continued down here and a couple of seconds later the police came down the street and one crashed into another. And it was mayhem, basically."